MANDELA CENTENARY OFFERS SOUTH AFRICANS A NEW BEGINNING, SAYS RAMAPHOSA

CAPE TOWN– The president of the African National Congress( ANC), Cyril Ramaphosa, says the Nelson Mandela centenary this year offers South Africa’s ruling party a new beginning.

Ramaphosa made his remarks when addressing the Mandela Release celebrations in Cape Town Sunday to mark the 28th anniversary of Madiba’s release from prison. The celebrations came as the deadlocked effort to get President Jacob Zuma to step down grinds on.

Thousands of ANC supporters wearing the party’s signature yellow, green and black colours gathered for the rally at the hugely symbolic Grand Parade.

Ramaphosa started addressing the crowd at the exact time when Nelson Mandela spoke when he was released from his Robben Island prison on Feb 11, 1990.

The centenary of the birth of Nelson Mandela gives us a great opportunity for renewal and rebuilding. As we remember this great leader, this year gives us an opportunity as we remember Mandela, to re-affirm our vision of a non-racial society, to build a South Africa for all our people, said Ramaphosa.